J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Hawala money sustaining militancy
Jammu, March 28
When the police recovered $ 1 lakh from two JKLF activists at Kud in Jammu on March 24 it was just tip of the iceberg. In the past three months the police and security agencies have seized more than Rs 2 crore being sent through couriers to separatists and leaders of various militant outfits.

Yasin Malik goes on indefinite fast
Jammu, March 28
The JKLF Chief, Mr Mohd Yasin Malik, who has been remanded to seven days’ police remand by the District Sessions Judge, Mr H.K. Hanjoora, has gone on an indefinite fast in the Joint Interrogation Centre in Jammu since last evening. Mr Malik has gone on fast in protest against what he said a conspiracy hatched by the government in involving him in a hawala racket.

Jammu festival from April 13
Jammu, March 28
Illumination of prominent religious and public places, government buildings and main markets of the town, cultural and sports events will mark the three-day Jammu festival which begins here from April 13.

2 women killed as Matador overturns
Baramula, March 28
Two women were killed and 12 other persons injured when a Matador in which they were travelling overturned at Pattan this afternoon.

Hawala money sustaining militancy
M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 28
When the police recovered $ 1 lakh from two JKLF activists at Kud in Jammu on March 24 it was just tip of the iceberg. In the past three months the police and security agencies have seized more than Rs 2 crore being sent through couriers to separatists and leaders of various militant outfits.

Senior government functionaries are of the view that despite the seizure of several crores of rupees from anti-India elements in the past several years separatists, militants and those supporting the anti-India campaign have received between Rs 200 and Rs 400 crore through hawala transactions.

According to these functionaries, Pakistan has been the main conduit of hawala money into Jammu and Kashmir and other Indian states. The flow of the hawala money, including fake Indian currency notes, has been carried out from across the border and via Nepal. After India ordered heavy military build-up on the LoC and the IB Nepal has been selected as safe areas for sending funds to the separatists.

The state government functionaries say that while part of the money has been and is being used for procuring and manufacturing small weapons and explosives, especially IEDs, major portion is being spent on providing financial assistance to the militants operating in the state.

Invariably some of the militant leaders fell apart after they were locked in a conflict over the distribution of funds, part of which was being sent from the Pak High Commission in Delhi. Islamabad and other Pak agencies, engaged in collecting and transmission of funds, received from several Islamic countries and from those affluent people settled in the Western countries, distribute these funds according to the strength and loyalty of each separatist and militant group.

Whenever Pakistani agencies find any rebel or separatist group either inactive or sabotaging the Pakistani plan of building pro-Pak movement in Kashmir they stop giving financial assistance to these organisations.

During the past three to four years the quantum of hawala money for Kashmir has been reduced after agencies across the border received reports that the funds earmarked for giving a fillip to the liberation movement were being used for construction of palatial houses and for buying other valuable movable and immovable assets.

A stage reached when the APHC had no funds to be distributed among the widows, destitutes and orphans. Till over a year large groups of men, women and children used to visit either the APHC headquarters or the residences of senior Hurriyat leaders for receiving doles.

The crowds have almost vanished after the APHC Chairman, Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, stopped distributing financial aid to the destitutes. Professor Bhat says, “I have no money. I do not want Kashmiris to become beggars. I wish every Kashmiri work hard and earn his or her livelihood.”

The separatists would invariably supplement the hawala money with donations raised within the valley. During the past two to three years the number of local donors has decreased. People no longer are prepared to fund a movement which has spelt death and destruction in Kashmir.

Referring to the seizure of $ 1 lakh from two JKLF activists at Kud recently a senior police officer said it was a chance recovery. “We had no prior information,” he said adding that “if $ 1 lakh can be recovered from the trousers of a woman, the extent of flow of hawala money to the state can be naturally on a massive scale.”

Yasin Malik goes on indefinite fast
Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 28
The JKLF Chief, Mr Mohd Yasin Malik, who has been remanded to seven days’ police remand by the District Sessions Judge, Mr H.K. Hanjoora, has gone on an indefinite fast in the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) in Jammu since last evening.

Mr Malik has gone on fast in protest against what he said a conspiracy hatched by the government in involving him in a hawala racket. He had, before being remanded to police custody, stated that he would quit politics and the liberation movement if the government proved that $ 1 lakh, recovered from two persons in Kud, were meant for him.

The District Sessions Judge had directed the police to get Mr Malik examined by a team of doctors in Jammu Medical College, to find out if he had any serious ailment which warranted his admission in the hospital. On March 26 he was examined by the doctors who stated that except for mild chest infection Mr Malik had no other severe health problem. Consequently he was shifted to the JIC where he is lodged.

Informed sources said despite repeated persuasion by the police officials the JKLF chief refused to accept food. He accepted only plain water.

A senior police official said in case he refused to break his fast he might be shifted to the hospital where he would be fed forcibly.

Mr Malik was shifted to a government nursing home this afternoon when doctors found him getting weak.

According to doctors the JKLF chief has been put on glucose drip.

Jammu festival from April 13

Jammu, March 28
Illumination of prominent religious and public places, government buildings and main markets of the town, cultural and sports events will mark the three-day Jammu festival which begins here from April 13.

Elaborate arrangements have been made to make the festival a grand success and a high-level meeting of officers chaired by Jammu Deputy Commissioner Rohit Kansal, who is also nodal officer for the festival, was held here yesterday, the officials said.

The festival, organised by the state Tourism Department, would also have food stalls providing ethnic cuisine.

The officials said a cleanliness drive would be launched with the help of NGOs. Cultural shows, painting and traditional sports competitions and photo exhibitions would also be organised. Handloom and handicraft stalls highlighting the Dogra heritage will be set up, they said.

The meeting also reviewed the law and order situation and arrangements to ensure uninterrupted power and drinking water supply. PTI 

2 women killed as Matador overturns

Baramula, March 28
Two women were killed and 12 other persons injured when a Matador in which they were travelling overturned at Pattan this afternoon.

Official sources said the Matador was on the way to Baramula from Pattan when it overturned while overtaking another vehicle at Pattan resulting in the death of Dr Shafkat Nisa and Shaibee and injuries to 12 others.

The injured have been admitted to different hospitals where the condition of two of them is stated to be critical. UNI